V. lament, mourn, deplore, grieve, weep over; bewail, bemoan; condole with &c 915; fret &c (suffer) 828; wear mourning, go into mourning, put on mourning; wear the willow, wear sackcloth and ashes; infandum renovare dolorem [Lat.]

Christianity is sometimes scouted as "the religion of sorrow," and many amongst us are ready to avow that the Persian forbidding the sackcloth is more to their taste than the Egyptian or the Christian dragging the corpse through the banquet; but we confidently contend that the recognition by Christ of the morbid phases of human life is altogether wise and gracious.

Once more, by boldly adopting the sackcloth Christ has changed it into a robe of light.

"Thou hast turned my mourning into joy, thou hast loosed my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness."

Above and beyond all, Christ recognizes the sackcloth that He may take it away.

A Father who has told us what that worship is like. 'Is this (God asked the Jews of old) the fast which I have chosen? Is it a day for a man to afflict his soul, and bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him (playing at being sad, while God has not made him sad)?